Kaya 959 presenter George Manyosi on his decades-long passion for motorbikes

Zuko Komisa

Kaya 959 presenter George Manyosi, has been an avid motorbike enthusiast since the age of 13. He recently shared his passion for motorbikes and how his experience over the years has been a fulfilling one. Manyosi also shares key life lessons he has learned on the road, and why he prefers to ride solo.

When did you start falling in love with motorbikes?

It all started at around the age of 13, when we took a school trip to the Rand Easter Show, and I broke away from the group because I saw this guy who had a motorcycle that enchanted me. A few years later I had my bicycle that I rode around with and managed to get my first experience on a motorbike from a guy who didn’t even show me how it works. I rode around a few times, and that is how I fell in love with motorcycles to this day.

What are some of the life lessons you have gathered from riding motorbikes?

Think as if you were them: When on the road you quickly have to adjust to the conditions of the road, and you must consider that you may not be visible to motorists. You also have to consider that many people are absent-minded when driving, a motorbike is small and moves fast, and it’s easy for people not to see you.

You constantly have you hone your skills: With biking, you have to constantly hone your skill, whatever maneuver or action requires constant repetition to master. There’s emergency braking, going up and downhill, avoiding obstacles, adjusting to different surfaces and conditions on the road. You never stop learning, whatever you think you know something you have to keep perfecting it.

Describe the feeling you have when you are on the bike.

A sense of freedom: A motorbike gives you so much freedom. With a bike, there is nothing around you, that sense of being around nature gives you so much peace, it gives a certain high that is almost tangible. It’s beautiful. Your senses are activated, you can hear it. You can smell it because you are constantly moving, you get different smells when riding in the countryside, on dirt roads, or in the inner city, and at different times you can pick that up.

The release of emotion: Because a bike is smaller than a car when you rev it and it moves, there is an exhilarating release of emotion. With a bike, I move from 0-100km/h in under 12 seconds, it’s such an exhilarating experience that you crack with laughter by yourself, and you end up smiling while wearing your helmet.

Why do you prefer solo bike rides over group trips?

I find that group rides have a lot of limitations, and that takes the fun away from me, I enjoy the freedom of riding solo.

Where have your solo rides taken you?

I made a decision to get to know local places differently, I realized that in a car I don’t see the environment, the houses, the streets, the surroundings properly. I find that riding a bike gives you a better experience. I have been to Matau, Mabopane, Pretoria side mostly, and Hartbeespoort, I have also taken a ride to Mafikeng amongst many places.

What are you missing out on if you have ridden a motorbike?

You’re missing out on another angle in life. When you are on the bike you see the same road you would typically see when driving a car. But you see them in a completely different way. You look forward to riding in different weather conditions. There’s also a lot of personal development that comes with a bike, the sharpness, and awareness of riding in certain scenarios are helpful in other areas of your life.

Catch George Manyosi on Kaya 959, Monday – Friday on Last Call at 22:00 – 00:00 and Saturday On The Beat at 18:00 – 22:00

Written by: Zuko